Free Boats - Your Experience

[LF4]

If that is one of these:

Best of the Gallery

boy, the can be beautiful boats.

Originally Posted by hamburking

Classic case of error in the ad. So no one can lookup the specs/reviews.

Its posted as a Pearson 25. But I think its a Pearson Ariel 26...a really great boat!

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ariel-26-pearson

I had a similar experience. I needed an outboard, and I responded to a text ad titled "BOAT MOTOR". Turned out to be a Yamaha 4 in great shape at a great price. I bought it sight unseen, and the guy (who spoke little english) was supposed to deliver to my house. He arrived with the outboard, and a 12 foot Saturn inflatable, also in great shape. His english was bad, the ad was missing a comma...was supposed to be BOAT, MOTOR. He was happy to sell...I was the only person to respond to his ad. And I was was extremely happy with my purchase as well!

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Classic case of error in the ad. So no one can lookup the specs/reviews.

Its posted as a Pearson 25. But I think its a Pearson Ariel 26...a really great boat!

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ariel-26-pearson

Yeah there was a young lady that took one to Florida from Canada on a shoestring budget. And she's still on it I believe.

https://www.dinghydreams.com/

[Hardhead]

I've run into a number of people with smaller sub 25' sailboats, that just want them gone, or due to a death, etc. I think the hassle of trying to sell for a few thousand is just not worth it for them, and they think free will move them the quickest. Not that they're bad boats, but just not worth it for them just to clear a small amount of money.

Like anything else, check them out, and see what's needed to get it into proper shape. Could be a good deal, and a great story after you've sailed it for years.

[foufou]

As was mentioned above "it depends". Free may be over priced

[Gary Matthesen]

My young nephew and his wife of not yet two years had a $5K budget, that they had hopes of including winter storage. Very tough order for me to fill. We found a boat in Oyster Bay NY, a Cal 31 1983. The broker said numbers like $7K, and was unhappy to hear it was listed on EBay. We couldn't start the engine, no key, but the rest of the boat looked sound.
Turns out an old fellow broke his hip, hadn't sailed it in a year, donated whatever funds came in for it. I noted the engine oil was still amber. They got it for under $3K. Needed cleaning badly, but sails are good, canvas good, they made it a "home" in no time.
In water storage in Huntington $900. Found out it was yard maintained with a new Universal 175 hours (thought meter was broken)
We discovered many great goodies, among them it was repowered two years ago Bbq and PYI dripless.
There are bargains out there. I was very afraid of endorsing a boat and having it be a dog, we got lucky, and the old fellow was happy to see the young couple keep his boat sailing.

[Fore and Aft]

I surveyed an Irwin 37 that a couple purchased for $5000 and then sailed from Florida to Australia! The boat was in very average condition and I thought they must have had a bit of luck on their side to make it so far.
Cheers

[Cpt Mark]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Bike maintenance is quite low as compared to a sailboat.

I'm thinking I'll replace the rigging in four years. By then I would have owned the boat for about 12 years. The boat sat on the hard unattended for 5 years and before that was cruised for 2 years by the PO from Massachusetts to Florida and the Bahamas. (and most of the way back)

So adding up your numbers you're talking about replacing the rigging at 17 years minimum. Of course it may be well older than you think. SS Rigging goes bad just sitting on the hard or the dock. It, like everything else on a boat has a finite lifespan. I'm betting your rigging is candy caned right now which is a sure sign you should be replacing it before it breaks. Much cheaper and easier than after it breaks and the mast comes down, hopefully not hurting anyone when it does. Have you looked at all of your fittings, turnbuckles and swages? Any discoloration? If so, scotch write it and use a magnifying glass to see the cracks that are most likely there.

Unless I had solid documentation on the boat when the rigging had been redone, for my type of sailing my first thing on the to do list is replace the rigging. It is so cheap compared to the consequences of getting maybe another season out of it. I'm rejigging my current boat and except for the forestay (roller furler) will be using dyneema.

[john61ct]

If plans include eventual long passage making, but you're now a know-nothing noob,

even with a near-free prospective boat, it's worth paying someone knowledgeable to check out that the hull / keel / rudder / deck / chain plates are sound, mast & tanks not corroded

Through-hulls, engine if any, sails themselves will last a while.

etc (additions please)

Any of those can cost lots more than your "cheap" purchase price

If all a new-to-you boat needs to get out and enjoy her sailing on the water is new **rigging**, that is a fantastic scenario.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Cpt Mark

So adding up your numbers you're talking about replacing the rigging at 17 years minimum. Of course it may be well older than you think. SS Rigging goes bad just sitting on the hard or the dock. It, like everything else on a boat has a finite lifespan. I'm betting your rigging is candy caned right now which is a sure sign you should be replacing it before it breaks. Much cheaper and easier than after it breaks and the mast comes down, hopefully not hurting anyone when it does. Have you looked at all of your fittings, turnbuckles and swages? Any discoloration? If so, scotch write it and use a magnifying glass to see the cracks that are most likely there.

Unless I had solid documentation on the boat when the rigging had been redone, for my type of sailing my first thing on the to do list is replace the rigging. It is so cheap compared to the consequences of getting maybe another season out of it. I'm rejigging my current boat and except for the forestay (roller furler) will be using dyneema.

Yes, I've inspected them quite often down low not at the top of the mast though since 2012

I'm thinking with the three shrouds on each side plus the backstay and forestay and oversized turnbuckles that it can hold my mast up with the small amount of sail area I have.

Also, I can't see all the shrouds/stays breaking at once. I'm thinking I'd have time to head up if I see a weakness or a break.

Have you experienced a mast coming down? I have on one of my beach cats. A couple threads of the shroud were already broken before it finally broke all the way and the mast came down. it's kind of slow actually after the mast gets over a bit

It's kinda like when you flip a beach cat fast at first then very slow so that you seem to sit for a while when the boat is perpendicular to the water before going over (if you can't save it)

I had the boat in winds to 30 mph in 2014 on a 50 mile down wind run. The high winds lasted about 4 hours

Pictures are from 2014 and 2019

I will be glad though when I get new rigging because my forestay is too short. Mast is leaning forward just a bit. Backstay is maxed out at 440 lbs. All stays are at 440 except the forward lowers which are at 550 for a bit of prebend. This since 2012 or so and the prebend looks about the same now so no stretching etc

[alexanick]

Hi LF4,
I purchased my present boat, a 1970 Cal 29, 3 years ago for $3500.00. A great boat, in good condition, in the water and completely functional. Yes it did need a few things but nothing pertinent to actually sailing it. So in answer to your question about a 5-10K budget, yes there are lots of vessels out there in that range that are definitely worth it. Take this in mind along with the other great info you have already received here and shop around. I have no doubt you will find a perfect fit for you and your beautiful family. Get those kids on a boat ASAP, teach them how to sail and proper etiquette for boating and it will be a blessing to the rest of their life.
BTW, being that you live in Philly, a good friend of mine, Dan May, is a singer, songwriter living there. Keep an eye out for one of his concerts. You won't be disappointed. Tell him Ken from Cleveland said Hi.
Bon Voyage.

[KiwiKen]

Originally Posted by gaucho

5 to 10k on a boat can go as fast as you can spell boat. That is mainly the problem. It is very difficult to judge really how much money you have to put on a close to abandoned or abandoned boat. Free boats generally become free after MANY years of neglect. Many years of back and forth with a marina, an owner, a yard, somebody that just couldnt care or wouldnt care anymore. The costs to bring that boat to a minimum working condition add up VERY fast. If you go for a smaller boat, that you can put on your own grounds to fix, and you really have the know how (or the natural ability and will to learn), tools and willingness to go through the hard work, maybe then a free boat could be something to go for. But if you are strapped with cash, spending those 5k or 10k on something in better shape is USUALLY a better deal (and that applies to most money brackets on very inexpensive boats that would cost much more money if properly maintained or looked after). In a nutshell that is the thing.

If you have to ask, you probably shouldn't be the one to buy a very cheap or free boat.

The old maxim of " a boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money is very true"


Some people have all the luck and fall on their feet getting a real bargain, unhappily I have found I never seem to fit into that category of some people.

[sharaban]

Every person gets what he is looking for. I am sure that if there is a goal, you must go to it despite everything and without listening to anyone, you must believe in your dream and she will pay you! There are very good options if you have patience and be able to look!

[sharaban]

At the moment I do not have the opportunity to earn a lot of money and buy a boat a good boat for $ 50k or even $ 20k and I don’t have a choice how to look for a cheap or free boat to realize my dream, but I’m sure I can get it. There was such a strange and funny who did not have enough money for the boat and then he made it on the balcony of his small apartment, after which he made two circumnavigation not having more than $ 100.

My goal is to gain experience and go from America to the Atlantic Ocean and reach the shores of Greece.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by rsn48

I sold my boat - older Catalina 27 - for $1 and I felt I ripped the guy off.

Originally Posted by robwilk37

bought my boat for $1, probably overpaid by 85 cents. but im happy...

Do you guys know each other?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by sharaban

At the moment I do not have the opportunity to earn a lot of money and buy a boat a good boat for $ 50k or even $ 20k and I don’t have a choice how to look for a cheap or free boat to realize my dream, but I’m sure I can get it. There was such a strange and funny who did not have enough money for the boat and then he made it on the balcony of his small apartment, after which he made two circumnavigation not having more than $ 100.

My goal is to gain experience and go from America to the Atlantic Ocean and reach the shores of Greece.

If you are struggling financially adding a boat is not going to help. You do not have to own a boat to sail.